Amusement apparatus.



PA-TENTED MAY 5, 1908;

0. a. LANGSDORF. AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. 29. 1907.

In ventor:

Attya YN'E'NURRI? FETERs co., wasmucwu, n. c

CHARLES C. LANGSDORF, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

AMUSEMENT APPARATUS.

Application filed August 29, 1907.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 5, 1908.

Serial No. 390,676.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHARLES C. LANGS- DORF, of the borough of Manhattan, county of New York, city and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Amusement Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to amusement apparatus, and comprises a surface composed in part at least of light-transmitting material and adapted to have upon it a picture of suitable character, and in connection therewith means for illuminating such surface alter nately from front and. rear and means for moving a suitable object across such surface in syncln'onism with the changes of illumination of said surface.

The object of my invention is to provide a simple and attractive amusement device of novel character and which, by changes of illumination, may represent day and night scenes alternately.

In the accompanying drawings I illustrate one embodiment of my invention.

In said drawings: Figure 1 shows a front elevation of the device, the lamps for illuminating the same, and the circuits for said lamps, being indicated diagrammatically; the parts being in the positions occupied when illumination is from the front. Fig. 2 is a similar view showing the same parts as if illumination is from the back, a portion of the picture-surface being broken away to show the operating mechanism. Fig. 3 shows a central vertical section through the operating mechanism. I

In said drawings, A designates the said picture-surface, commonly composed of canvas, glass or other suitable lighttransmitting material. Upon this surface I commonly provide a picture, landsca e or the like of a character such that it wil possess different though related appearances, according as it is illuminated in simulation of daylight or of night. For example, I have indicated upon surface A two houses, B and C, a path D leading from one to the other, (the actual shape of said path being the arc of a circle) and a disk E from which radiate light-rays F. The windows and doorways of the buildings, the path D, and the disk E are on portions of surface A which transmit light relatively freely, and the remainder of said surface A transmits light relatively less freely, though sufliciently' translucent to appear dimly illuminated when lighted from in rear.

Behind said surface A is a pivoted arm G, carryinga figure H so placed on said arm that when the latter moves said figure H will move from B along path D to C and then back.

In connection with the parts already described I provide electric lights I and J and suitable circuits therefor including a generator K, and switch mechanism operated concurrently with the movements of the arm G and. arranged to switch said lights alternately into circuit with the generator. I commonly so arrange this contact or switch mechanism that lamp J, placed in rear of surface A, will be illuminated during the passage of figure H from B to O, and that lamp I, placed in front of surface A, will be illuminated during the passage of figure H from C to B. It will be apparent that when lamp I is lighted, the view on surface A will appear to be illuminated as in daylight, the disk E and its radiating rays F representing the sun; and that when lamp I is extinguished and lamp J lighted, the view on surface A will be a nightscene, the windows and door-ways of buildings B and O appearing as if illuminated from,

within, and the diskE representing the moon.

For oscillating the arm G I provide clockwork or other suitable mechanism, located within a case L, and driving a disk M provided with a crank-pin N working in a slot 0 in arm G, so that as said disk M rotates arm G is moved alternately forward and back, carrying with it the figure H.

For turning on and off the light, I provide contact means operated simultaneously with the movement of the arm G, as follows: In rear of the disk M there are contact sectors, P and Q, of which P is connected to lamp 1, and Q is connected to lamp J. These sectors are insulated from the driving mechanism, which is connected to one pole of the generator K, the lamps I and J being connected to the other pole of such generator. Pin N is arranged to travel over the sectors P and Q, as it revolves, so completing the circuit, first through sector P and lamp I, and

then through sector Q and lamp J. The length of the sectors is such that during all the time that the arm G is moving from house C to house B, lamp I is lighted, and that all the time said arm is moving from house B to house C lamp J is lighted.

The operation of the device is as follows: Supposing arm G to be at house C, when it starts to swing back toward B lamp I is lighted, the surface A being illuminated in simulation of daylight; and arm G and figure H being in rear of surface A, will swing back to B unnoticed. At the conclusion of the swing of the arm toward B, lamp I will be extinguished, and at the beginning of the ensuing swing of arm G toward 0, lamp J will be lighted. This light, as well as the figure H, being behind surface A, the shadow of said figure H will be seen moving along path D from B to C; the scene on A being illuminated in simulation of night.

Customarily, the lamp J will be placed. about opposite the path D, so that said path will be strongly illuminated and the figure H will cast a strong and sharp shadow.

The figure H, which in the present instance represents the figure of a man, is preferably jointed, so that the legs and arms will move as the arm G swings. The lower portion of the arm G to which the figure H is secured is preferably made of thin wire, so that the same will not make a prominent shadow upon the surface A when the light J is illuminated.

WVhile the invention. has been described with particular reference to the details of construction, it should be understood that it is not to be limited thereto, as many and various changes, alterations and substitutions may be made therein and still fall within. its scope and principle; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:. v

1. An amusement apparatus comprising a light transmitting material provided with pictures, a figure, means for moving said figure back and forth on one side of said material, means for showing on the material the movement of the figure in one direction, and means for concealing the movement of the figure in the opposite direction.

2. An amusement apparatus comprising a light transmitting material, means for alternately illuminating the two sides of said material, a figure, and means for moving said figure across said material in synchronism with the changes of illumination of said material.

3. An amusement apparatus comprising a light transmitting material provided with pictures, means for alternately illuminating the two sides of said material to represent day and night scenes, a figure, and means for moving said figure with the changes of illumination.

4. An amusement apparatus comprising a light transmitting material provided with pictures, means for illuminating either side of said material to represent day and night scenes, a figure, and means for moving said figure across said material.

In testimony whereof I have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

CHARLES C. LANGSDORF. Witnesses:

GEORGE MEYER, F. E. YUNG. 

